Malta marks Victory Day

Raymond Sammut

Sep 9th 2008, 02:34

@ Joanne Micallef

I would go ahead and withdraw. Put the ball in the EU's court. Should the EU act in anyway which can be deemed detrimental to my citizens, I would identify the EU person responsible and build a case against him and initiate legal proceedings against that person.

For example, it was Mr Frattini who demonised Malta and the Maltese people in regard to the tuna pen case. Following the world condemnation instigated and actively fomented by Mr Frattini, Malta is now suffering greatly from 11,000+ illegal immigrants roaming her streets and living off Maltese tax payers. I see no reason why Mr Frattini should not be held personally responsible and be made legally liable. If he did what he did to a country like Israel, for example, he would by now be in deep waters, or gone into hiding -- perhaps Argentina.

The Maltese people seem to think that the EU made Malta a favour by allowing her to become a member. Presently I am of the conviction that it is quite the other way around. By not becoming a member, for example, Italy would be 11,000 richer with illegals on her soil.

Denis Catania

Sep 9th 2008, 01:39

PM Gonzi, How about winning the great siege of the new millenium. Or will some else be celebrating the successful siege of Malta in 50 years. DESIGN a new plan for the illegal immigration or RESIGN.

M. Mercieca

Sep 9th 2008, 00:27

Some points we should consider while we debate:

Whatever they are called, boat peoples, Irregular, illegal, undocumented immigrant, this is an increasing phenomena and will stay with us.
• The government is doing the right job, and receiving funds from EU to handle irregular immigrants that eventually send to other EU countries. No penny is taken from our taxes to immigrants. (Debatable)
• We should never listen to peoples that use the immigrants for political gains. Same peoples scaremonger the public aiming to create tension and press the government (in vain)
• Social tension only reflect our xenophobic and racist sentiments, which again enables EU, human rights organizations to slam us on the face.
• No power on earth will stop a hungry human to get food and security.
• The topic has also bestowed xenophobic and racist peoples a good cloak to come into sight patriots like! And this is against EU values.

• Just because some persons do not have documents, it does not mean they do not have rights.

• Malta is a country that forms part of the international community and not (isolated Bocca-Club in Mosta or Hamrun)

Kevin Borg

Sep 8th 2008, 20:41

All comments seem to be refering to the illegal immigrants issue. However none have realised that for the Pontifical Mass held at St.John's Cathedral only sixteen members of parliament, few magistrates, judges and a couple of heads of departments have attanded. All the rest were invitied but did not attend.

None of us is bound to hear mass, and I am the last person that can point fingers because I rarely or half heartedly attended. However these people represent the nation, and this congragation is held to honour those Maltese who gave their lives to protect our country.

The coverage on the PBS news shows clearly that all these society representitives do not care less to attand. What a shame. The nation is losing its values. I am not refering to christian values but to the one and basic value a civilised society should stand upon, Respect. Seeing that even those who stand at the highest eclons of our society are losing this value is really disappointing.

I am not saying that the illegale immigrants issue is not important but I think we are giving it to much weight and not realising we are losing much more.

Joanne Micallef

Sep 8th 2008, 19:32

Malta signed the Geneva Refugee Act in 1971 with some reservations due to our geographical position and size of our Country. In 1998 the EU brusquely brushed away our arguments and were told that if we wanted to go ahead and become EU members our country as a new member would have to comply with all existing rules and regulations.

So even if there are no practical obstacles to withdrawing from the Convention as per article 44 (2) is our country free to do so, or would big daddy pull our Goverments ears and command him to abide by the house rules????

guze xerri

Sep 8th 2008, 16:23

@ Alexander Morana,

100% agree, any treaty the goes against national interest should be scrapped as soon as possible.

Raymond Sammut

Sep 8th 2008, 16:12

@ Alexander Morana

Here is a small excerpt from a report produced on behalf of the Federal Australian Government by Adrienne Millbank, Social Policy Group on 5 September 2000:

Quote:
There are no practical obstacles to withdrawing from the Convention. Article 44 (2) states that any contracting state can denounce or withdraw, with one year's notice.

Such a move would be unprecedented - no state has ever withdrawn. The threat of instant international pariah status is however less compelling at a time when the asylum system is widely seen as 'broke'. :Unquote

I always held the view that Malta should withdraw from this convention as a matter of urgency. No Maltese should vote for a political party at a National election in Malta unless they included a proviso to this effect in their manifesto prior to the election.

Japan and Singapore, among others, never accepted to become parties to the Geneva Refugee act of 1951, and as a result never experienced problems of illegal immigration.

Furthermore, not being a party to this convention does not preclude a government from assisting genuine refugees such as Iceland is doing presently with Palestinian refugees in Iraq.

Alexander Morana

Sep 8th 2008, 14:39

@P. Schembri, you mentioned Malta being an independent nation. Why would you expect the other EU European fellow members to come and help Malta solve its illegal immigration problem?

The problem starts from the type of leadership we presently have. Since we are suppose to be a sovereign independent country we have to take the initiative by withdrawing from the Geneva Refugee act of 1951, (Malta signed this UN treaty in 1971). Stop going 80 km out of our territorial waters to collect these so called refugees. And finally we should stop voting for the parties and politicians who do nothing about the issue in the first place.

C J Allen

Sep 8th 2008, 13:26

Make all the illegal immigrants Maltese citizens, which will automatically confer upon them EU citizenship. Then they can all go off to the UK or elsewhere legally.
You can bet that the EU would soon do something about the problem then!

Christopher Micallef

Sep 8th 2008, 12:16

@Edwin Mifsud

Good comment. You see? Our leaders are afraid to mention a lot of issues; like car registration and taxation reform, transport reform details, environmental encouragement schemes, and the list goes on.

Malta is doing quite well but according to the likes of the IMF we are still an economy subject to significant regulation and impediments to free markets. That does not allow the best at their to succeed and the customers to get the best value for money. Consider the white taxis for example.

P.Schembri

Sep 8th 2008, 11:48

The irony of it all is, that our forefathers fought for an independent nation, and now we ended up a frontier province for Europe. Where are the Europeans when we need them to solve our illegal immigration problems? We're being silently invaded and no one lifts a finger to help us!

Michelle Dali

Sep 8th 2008, 11:43

I agree with Edwin Mifsud's comments. I too, feel it is ironic that in 1565, when Malta was besieged by thousands upon thousands of Turks who came to capture our islands during the Great Siege, every single man, woman and child fought with their last breath to defend our homeland, and now some 400 years later, we are actually going out of our way to help these foreigners invade our country. Our ancestors must be turning in their graves!

Edwin Mifsud

Sep 8th 2008, 11:18

How ironic!

Commemorating the two Victories our forefathers achieved while today our leaders sit and stare at a the modern invasion of illegal imigration.

They are even afriad to mention the issue let alone deal with it.

anton attard

Sep 8th 2008, 10:49

This commemoration should have been held in Vittoriosa, the city which contibuted so much to the victory over the enemy during the Siege of 1565. An achievment confirmed by G.M. La Valette by bestowing upon the city the title of Citta' Vittoriosa.

ANNIE GAUCI

Sep 8th 2008, 09:07

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION TO DAY SHOULD BE OUR ONLY NATIONAL DAY AND KEEP THE OTHERS AS PUBLIC HOLIDAYS